Senegal exports plunge 50% as gold collapse exposes economic vulnerability

• Exports halve in January as gold shipments collapse sharply
• Oil gains fail to offset widening trade deficit pressures

DAKAR, SENEGAL — Senegal’s exports plunged by 50% in January, driven by a sharp fall in gold shipments, exposing structural weaknesses in the country’s commodity-dependent economy.

According to data from the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), exports dropped to 412.6 billion CFA francs ($670 million) in January 2026, down from 825.3 billion CFA francs in December.